A Comprehensive Effort to Tackle the Challenges of Cybersecurity

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About the Initiatives

Recognizing the importance of a more integrated approach to combating data breaches and security failures, MIT publicly launched three new MIT research efforts aimed at addressing the technical, regulatory and managerial aspects of cyber security. The three efforts—Cybersecurity@CSAIL, the MIT Cybersecurity and Internet Policy Research Initiative and MIT Sloan’s Interdisciplinary Consortium for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cyber security (IC)3—are intended to provide a cohesive, cross-disciplinary strategy to tackling the complex challenges involved in keeping our digital information safe.

Cybersecurity@CSAILIs focused on the technical aspects of preventing, working through and recovering from web-based attacks. Directed by Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) principal research scientist Howard Shrobe, the effort involves an exclusive group of industry partners, including BAE Systems, BBVA, Boeing and Raytheon. Throughout the year members will participate in a series of meetings to discuss key issues, learn about ongoing CSAIL scholarship, and suggest new lines of research in the space. The initiative is meant to address the technical challenges of cybersecurity more holistically. Shrobe says that many companies assume that security vulnerabilities are inevitable and therefore adopt “patch-and-pray” strategies that manage attacks retroactively rather than fight them systematically. For more information visit: csailcybersecurity.csail.mit.edu

MIT Cybersecurity and Internet Policy Initiative
MIT Cybersecurity and Internet Policy Initiative, is funded by the Hewlett Foundation and will focus on establishing quantitative metrics and qualitative models to help inform policymakers. Led by CSAIL principal research scientist and former White House Deputy CTO, Daniel Weitzner, the initiative will draw from CSAIL, MIT Sloan and experts in political science, economics and multiple other departments at MIT. The MIT Cybersecurity and Internet Policy Initiative is one of three new Hewlett Foundation initiatives announced in November, alongside efforts at UC-Berkeley and Stanford. The $65 million that the foundation has allocated to cybersecurity over the next five years is the largest-ever private commitment to the field.

Interdisciplinary Consortium for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity- (IC)3The Sloan School of Management is launching the Interdisciplinary Consortium for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, or (IC)3. The effort will address the strategic, managerial and operational issues related to cybersecurity of the nation's critical infrastructure - ranging from energy and healthcare to financial services. (IC)3 includes faculty from Sloan, the School of Engineering, and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as and a growing list of industry partners such as: ExxonMobil and Schneider Electric. Issues that will to be addressed include risk analysis, return on investment (ROI) calculations, simulation of cybersecurity resilience, incentives for more effective information sharing, and developing metrics and models for organizations to better protect themselvesFor more information visit: ic3.mit.edu